Lariat release device



Aug. 30, 1966 J. M. HASSER LARIAT RELEASE DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 22, 1965 0/0/1 11? Mar ATTORNEY 30, 1966 J. M. HASSER 3,269,094

LARIAT RELEASE DEVICE Filed March 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet .2

//v VE/V TOR Jab/m Marvin Hasser ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,269,094 LARIAT DEVICE John Marvin ll-lasser, Hasty, @oio. Filed Mar. 22, 1.965, tier. No. 441,627 7 (Ilaiins. (Ci. 54-46) The present invention relates to lassos or lariats, and more particularly to an improved, quick release honda or loop device for releasably attaching a lasso or lariat to the horn of a saddle.

In the lassoing or roping of steers, horses and other animals with a lariat or rope, the lariat is usually anchored to the horn of the ropers saddle. This is conventionally accomplished by tying a loop or honda in the end of the lariat and placing it around the saddle horn. When roping a larger animal, such as a steer, the occasion often arises when the roper must quickly release the rope from the animal in order to avoid damage to himself, his horse, or the animal. However, where the animal is large and capable of pulling on the lariat, it usually puts so much strain on it that releasing the lariat from the saddle horn is virtually impossible. Also, it occasionally happens that the animal will fall over a cliff or embankment and, if the lariat is not quickly released, the horse and rider will also be pulled over and severely injured. Again, however, a substantial strain is placed on the lariat, making it impossible to untie a knot or slip a loop over the saddle horn, and in such circumstances, there is usually insuflicient time to draw a knife to cut the rope. Various attempts have been made to solve this or similar problems. For example, one form of quick horn release for use with a lariat and roping saddle of the type utilized in rodeos, which saddles usually have a large, high horn, as shown in US. Patent 2,985,138, issued May 23, 1961, to E. I. Fortin.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved, readily releasable device for attaching a rope, lariat, or the like to a saddle so that the rope is securely attached and yet may be readily and quickly released in the event the rider or horse encounters trouble.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a lariat honda or loop forming device which may be utilized with all types of saddle horns or pommels, including short, stubby horns which leave little space between the lip of the horn and the saddle bow.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a lariat honda or loop forming device which, when placed on a lariat and utilized on a saddle horn does not directly engage the saddle horn and thereby prevents undue wear and tear on the saddle.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a lariat honda or loop forming device of the foregoing character which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and sell, and which affords a quick, positive release under all conditions of operation and stress. A related object of the invention is to provide a honda or loop forming device of the foregoing character in which the release characteristics are improved as the strain on the lariat increases, thereby assuring release under all conditions of use, and particularly under conditions in which the rope is under stress and the rider and horse are in imminent danger.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a releasable lariat loop forming device embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a lariat and loop forming device mounted in place on a saddle horn and with the parts in locking position.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the lariat, saddle horn and loop forming device shownin FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an end elevation view of the lariat, saddle horn and loop forming device shown in FIG. 3.

While a certain illustrative embodiment of the present invention has been shown in the drawings, and will be described below in considerable detail, it should be understood that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, equivalents and uses falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In accordance with the present invention, there has been provided a new, novel and unobvious expedient providing a quick-releasable loop on the end of a lariat, which device comprises generally a buckle 20 on the end of a rope 21 adapted for engagement with or release from a clasp 22 in substantially coplanar relationship therewith so as to form a loop 24 adapted to be inserted over a saddle horn 25. The clasp 22 is constructed and organized in such a manner as to assure a positive, lateral release of the buckle 20 therefrom, as well as to preclude the possibility of becoming jammed or otherwise caught between the saddle horn 25 and the saddle how 26. The clasp itself is securely mounted on the rope 2i, and the rope is fastened to the buckle 20 by passing it through a loop in one end thereof and tying the rope into a knot shown at 28.

In more detail, the present invention contemplates the provision of a clasp or catch 22 comprising a generally tubular body portion 30 in the form of a sleeve or the like through which one end of the rope 21 is passed (FIG. 3), thereby securely mounting the clasp on the rope. In order to receive and be secured to the clasp thereby to form a loop which may be passed over the saddle horn, the free end of a rope is passed through and secured to a loop formed at one end of the buckle 20, which buckle is generally U-shaped in construction providing a pair of parallel legs 31, 32 joined by an intermediate loop forming portion 34. To further define the loop 34, the buckle includes a pair of generally straight parallel members 35, 36 joining the legs 31 and 32 and defining, with the loop 34 a rope receiving aperture 38 and a clasp receiving aperture .39. The intermediate portion 34 of the buckle is bent out of the plane of the legs 31, 32, at approximately a forty-five degree angle relative thereto in order to conform generally to the direction at which the rope passes through the buckle and clasp when the rope loop is formed, as shown in FIG. 3.

In the illustrative form shown, the catch comprises a generally tubular body 30, referred to above, having secured thereto in coextensive axial relationship a pair of spaced parallel plates 40, 41, each of which defines a generally V-shaped notch 42, 43 respectively juxtaposed so that the plates define, with a strike 44 an aperture for receiving and holding a buckle 34 inserted therein. The strike 44 is mounted on a pivot pin 45 for pivotally swinging movement between the plates 40, 41, and is latched into position by means of a detent 48 pivotally mounted on the upper plate 40 for movement in a plane generally perpendicular to the plane of the strike 44. To this end, the detent is pivotally mounted on a pin 51 extending between a pair of upstanding supports or ears 52, 53 located on the upper plate 40 and defining opposite sides of a notch 54, through which the detent 48 depends. The detent 48 is biased into strike latching position by means of a coil spring having a leg 55 extending over the detent 48 and urging the same clownward against the lower plate 41. For engagement with the detent 48, the strike 44 is provided with a shoulder 56 which engages behind the detent when the same is in latching position. A ring 58 to which is attached a thong 59 is provided for lifting the detent 48 to free the strike 44 and the buckle 20. To facilitate latching of the strike when inserting the buckle into place, the detent is provided with a sloping surface 60 against which a correspondingly sloping surface 61 on the strike is engaged to cam the dctent into an open position and allow it to drop in front of the strike shoulder 56 thereby locking the strike 44.

The buckle 34 is engaged by the strike by passing the strike through the aperture defined between the legs 31, 32 of the buckle and the transverse members 35, 36. One of these members of the buckle engages behind the strike and when the strike is latched in position is securely held thereby. It will be appreciated that by pulling on the buckle the latch is urged toward the open position being restrained only by the catch 48.

The loop forming release device is mounted in place on a rope by passing the free end of the rope through the tubular sleeve 30 to form a loop and thence through the opening 38 in the buckle. A knot 28 is tied in the free end of the rope to prevent the device from slipping off of the rope. The loop may then he slipped over a saddle horn 25 as shown in FIG. 3. By positioning the loop with the knot 28 on the end of the rope against the saddle horn, it will be immediately appreciated that no metal part of the device comes into contact with the saddle horn. When the rider, having roped a steer or other animal, desires to release the loop and thereby the rope, he pulls on the thong 59 to lift the detent 48 and release the strike 44. The buckle, being under tension from the rope, slips out of the notches 42, 43 in which it is held by the strike 44, opening the loop and allowing the rope to slip from the saddle. It will be appreciated that the buckle slips away from the catch in a generally horizontal plane; thus, if the saddle horn is a short one, leaving little clearance between the horn and the saddle bow, the device will still perform its intended function by positively releasing the buckle and rope when the necessity therefor arlses.

It will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the locking engagement is between two metal parts, namely the buckle 20 and the clasp 22, and not between the clasped part of the rope. Accordingly, this invention embodies the important feature of eliminating the danger of fraying or otherwise damaging the rope, or of having the rope stick in the clasp. The metal-to-metal engagement is not only extremely strong, but insures a positive release, a factor which is of the utmost interest to the roper when he and his horse are in danger.

I claim as my invention:

1. A quick-release device for forming a releasable loop on the free end of a lariat for use in attaching said lariat to a saddle horn, said device comp-rising, in combination, an elongated body having a longitudinal opening therethrough for receiving the free end of the lariat to be attached to the saddle horn, a buckle attached to the free end of the lariat extending through said body, and a latch mounted on said body including a strike pivotally mounted for swinging movement in the plane of the longitudinal axis of said opening, and a detent for releasably engaging said strike, said buckle being engaged in said latch by said strike thereby to form a loop in the free end of the lariat and being released from said engagement when said strike is released by said detent.

2. A device for forming a releasable loop for attaching a lariat to a saddle horn comprising, in combination, an elongated tubular body defining a longitudinal opening through which one free end of the lariat extends, a buckle attached to said free end of the lariat, and a latch on said tubular body lying generally in the plane of said opening for releasably engaging said buckle thereby to form a releasable loop in the free end of the lariat.

3. A device for forming a releasable loop for attaching a lariat to a saddle horn comprising, in combination an elongated tubular body defining a longitudinal opening through which one free end of the lariat extends, a buckle attached to said free end of the lariat, and a latch pivotally mounted on said tubular body for swinging movement in the plane of the axis of said opening for releasably engaging said buckle thereby to form a relasable loop in the free end of the lariat.

4. A device for forming a releasable loop for attaching a lariat to a saddle horn comprising, in combination, an elongated tubular body defining a longitudinal opening through which one free end of the lariat extends, means attached to the free end of the rope extending through said body for forming a buckle thereon, means on said tubular body for releasably engaging said buckle forming means, thereby to form a loop for engagement with the saddle horn and means for releasing said buckle engaging means to open said loop and release the lariat from the saddle horn.

5. A quick-release device for forming a releasable loop on the free end of a lariat for attaching said lariat to a saddle horn, said device comprising in combination, an elongated body having a longitudinal opening therethrough for receiving the free end of the lariat to be attached to the saddle horn, a buckle attached to the free end of the lariat extending through said body, and a latch mounted on said body including a strike pivotally mounted for swinging movement in the plane of the longitudinal axis of said opening, a detent, resilient biasing means for urging said detent into strike engaging position, and means for pulling said detent against the force of said biasing means to release said strike, said buckle being engaged in said latch by said strike, thereby to form a loop in the free end of the lariat and being released from said engagement when said strike is released by said detent.

6. A quick-release latch device releasably engaging a buckle secured to the free end of a lariat for forming a releasable loop on the free end of said lariat for attaching said lariat to a saddle horn, said latch device comprising, in combination, an elongated body having a longitudinal opening therethrough for receiving the free end of the lariat to be attached to the saddle horn, a pair of parallel plates secured to said body in parallel relationship with the long axis of said body, said plates each having a notch therein for receiving the buckle, a strike pivotally mounted between said plates for swinging movement in the plane of the longitudinal axis of said longitudinal body opening and adapted to close across said notch and a buckle therein, and a detent for releasably engaging said strike, whereby when said buckle is positioned in said notches and engaged therein by said strike a loop is formed in the free end of the lariat, said loop being opened to release the lariat when said strike is released by said detent.

7. A lariat latch device for engaging a buckle at the knot end of a lariat for forming a releasable loop for attaching said lariat to a saddle horn, said latch device comprising, in combination, a tubular body having an opening through which one free end of the lariat extends, means on said tubular body for releasably engaging the buckle thereby to form a loop for engagement with the saddle horn, and means for releasing said buckle engaging means to open said loop and release the lariat from the saddle horn.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 102,067 4/1870 Tuttle et al 114-235 635,931 10/1899 Harrison .a 287-21 759,200 5/1904 Slattery 1l9-110 2,608,812 9/1952 Hutchings 54-46 X 2,652,809 9/1953 Foster 119-114 2,985,138 5/1961 Fortin 119-110 3,139,863 7/1964 Steinbach 119-110 SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

A. F. MEDBERY, Examiner. 

7. A LARIAT LATCH DEVICE FOR ENGAGING A BUCKLE AT THE KNOT END OF A LARIAT FOR FORMING A RELEASABLE LOOP FOR ATTACHING SAID LARIAT TO A SADDLE HORN, SAID LATCH DEVICE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A TUBULAR BODY HAVING AN OPENING THROUGH WHICH ONE FREE END OF THE LARIAT EXTENDS, MEANS ON SAID TUBULAR BODY FOR RELEASABLY ENGAGING THE BUCKLE THEREBY TO FORM A LOOP FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SADDLE HORN, AND MEANS FOR RELEASING SAID BUCKLE ENGAGING MEANS TO OPEN SAID LOOP AND RELEASE THE LARIAT FROM THE SADDLE HORN. 